What is the definition of the word search

Verb



They haven’t found him yet, so they have to keep searching.



The police searched her for concealed weapons.



He was searched by the guard before he was allowed to enter the courtroom.



The software allows you to search thousands of sites at the same time.



She searched for information on the Web.



He searched her face, hoping to see some glimmer of emotion.

Noun



We will begin a search for a new manager this week.



I performed a search for the file.



I did a Web search for restaurants in that area.

See More

Recent Examples on the Web



Once approved, parents and guardians may search for participating service providers in the ACE Education Marketplace and submit claims for reimbursement using a dedicated app.


Cole Behrens, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2023





By December, police and the FBI were searching for 16-year-old Tylee and 7-year-old JJ.


Allison Elyse Gualtieri, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2023





In a separate incident in Los Angeles, authorities were searching for a person who used a permanent marker to write anti-Islamic words on a mosque and an Islamic cultural center Sunday.


Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2023





Another once searched his pockets without any cause.


Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2023





The United States is searching for the source of the documents, which appear to detail classified information about Ukraine, Russia and other countries.


Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2023





While clever software has taken over some of the toil of legal work — searching, reviewing and mining mountains of legal documents for nuggets of useful information — employment in the legal profession has grown faster than the American work force as a whole.


Steve Lohr, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023





Auburn Hills police are searching for two juvenile females who were in handcuffs when a massive panic broke out at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets and had customers running for safety from what turned out to be a false threat.


Miriam Marini, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2023





That afternoon, when the pair didn’t come back as expected, Thompson and Amelia searched for their family members before reporting them missing to authorities.


Staff, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2023




As rates hover just below 7%, many buyers are faced with uninviting options: continue their searches with smaller budgets, or wait until rates drop — without an idea of when that will be or if prices might rebound in the meantime.


oregonlive, 13 Apr. 2023





Knowing this earlier would have entitled Dominion to broaden its search of relevant records related to Murdoch.


Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2023





Lori was accused of not cooperating with police in their search for Tylee and J.J.


Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2023





From there, your search for the best cheap shoes for men officially starts.


Maverick Li, menshealth.com, 11 Apr. 2023





The neighboring geese are starting their annual search for nesting grounds.


Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2023





One of the show’s through lines is her search for Thrawn.


Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2023





On his search for any money owed to Pastor Robert Jeffress’ church, Ed visited the Texas unclaimed property website – claimittexas.gov – and discovered the church was owed some money but not much.


Dave Lieber, Dallas News, 8 Apr. 2023





Take some time to sort through everything and start your search for some new breathable underwear.


Emilia Benton, womenshealthmag.com, 6 Apr. 2023



See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘search.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

  • Top Definitions
  • Synonyms
  • Quiz
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  • More About Search
  • Examples
  • British
  • Idioms And Phrases

This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.

This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.


verb (used with object)

to go or look through (a place, area, etc.) carefully in order to find something missing or lost: They searched the woods for the missing child. I searched the desk for the letter.

to look at or examine (a person, object, etc.) carefully in order to find something concealed: He searched the vase for signs of a crack. The police searched the suspect for weapons.

to explore or examine in order to discover: They searched the hills for gold.

to look at, read, or examine (a record, writing, collection, repository, etc.) for information: to search a property title; He searched the courthouse for a record of the deed to the land.

to look at or beneath the superficial aspects of to discover a motive, reaction, feeling, basic truth, etc.: He searched her face for a clue to her true feelings.

to look into, question, or scrutinize: She searched her conscience.

(of natural elements) to pierce or penetrate: The sunlight searched the room’s dark corners.

to uncover or find by examination or exploration (often followed by out): to search out all the facts.

Military. to fire artillery over (an area) with successive changes in gun elevation.

Digital Technology. to electronically retrieve data, web pages, database records, or other information from (files, databases, etc.) by typing relevant terms into a search engine or other search tool: Most of us have searched the internet for medical advice.

verb (used without object)

to inquire, investigate, examine, or seek; conduct an examination or investigation.

noun

  1. the act of searching; careful examination or investigation: Her date with the guy she met online went badly, so her search for “Mr. Right” continues.
  2. an instance of this:Did the search turn up any clues?

the practice, on the part of naval officers of a belligerent nation, of boarding and examining a suspected neutral vessel at sea in order to ascertain its true nationality and determine if it is carrying contraband: the right of visit and search.

Digital Technology. the act or process of electronically retrieving data, web pages, database records, or other information from files, databases, etc., as in Boolean search; keyword search:A search of the article turned up two references to my company.

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Idioms about search

    search me, I don’t know: Why has it taken so long to reach a decision? Search me.

Origin of search

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb serchen, cerchen, from Anglo-French sercher or directly from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre “to go around,” derivative of Latin circus “circle”; noun derivative of the verb

OTHER WORDS FROM search

search·a·ble, adjectivesearch·a·ble·ness, nounsearcher, nounoutsearch, verb (used with object)

pre·search, noun, verb (used with object)un·der·search, nounun·searched, adjectivewell-searched, adjective

Words nearby search

SEAQ, seaquake, sear, sea ranger, sea raven, search, search dog, search engine, search engine optimization, searching, searchless

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT SEARCH

What is a basic definition of search?

Search means to look to find something that is missing or whose location has been forgotten or is unknown. It also means to carefully examine a person or thing to find something that is hidden. A more modern meaning of search is to enter a query on a search engine or website in order to find a specific page or piece of information. Search is also used as a noun to refer to the process of looking for something. Search has many other senses as both a verb and a noun.

Most generally, search means to look for something. It usually implies something more thorough than just looking.

Real-life examples: People search for buried treasure, missing children, and things that they have lost, among many other things. Sometimes, people are said to search for abstract things, such as meaning or happiness.

Used in a sentence: We searched everywhere in the house for my sister’s missing toy. 

Search also means to look closely at or examine a person or thing to find something that may be concealed or hidden.

Real-life examples: Police and security guards search people to check for weapons or illegal items they may be hiding on themselves or in something they own. Collectors or appraisers will often search an item for damage or signs that something may be fake.

Used in a sentence: The art expert searched the statue to find the sculptor’s trademark signature that proved it was genuine. 

Search is also commonly used in the context of searching the internet, a website, or an individual webpage.

Real-life examples: When you use a search engine, you enter a search term in order to view the search results to find what you’re looking for. This process is called a search. 

Used in a sentence: I searched for the exact phrase, but there were no results, so I tried another search using only keywords.

As a noun, search also commonly refers to the process of trying to find something. An investigation is a kind of search for the truth.

Real-life examples: Police often conduct searches to find missing people or suspects. People participate in or start searches focused on finding many different things, such as romantic partners, colleges, missing wallets, or answers to questions.

Used in a sentence: I haven’t made much progress in my search for the perfect birthday present for my girlfriend.

Where does search come from?

The first records of the word search come from the early 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Late Latin verb circāre, meaning “to go around.” The noun sense comes from the verb.

Search shares an origin with the words circle and circus. The Latin circāre comes from the Latin word circus, meaning “ring” or “circle.”

Did you know … ?

How is search used in real life?

Search is a common word that’s used in the context of looking for something.

Some people are lucky enough to find love early in their life, some are cursed to search for it forever.

— Handoko Tjung (@handokotjung) November 20, 2020

My search for a birthday dress has been a fail thus far 😩

— Sambalina (@JaydynsDynasty) November 22, 2020

Been looking for a song for 1,5 years. I didn’t remember the title or any of the lyrics. All I had in my head is 1 second of the clip. I was searching through old songs so maybe it would show up in the suggested videos. Today it showed on the main page. Bless you YouTube gods!

— Grzegorz Komincz (@Liquid_MaNa) November 24, 2020

Try using search!

Is search used correctly in the following sentence?

After a long search, the man finally found his wedding ring, which he had dropped in the sand.

Words related to search

examination, exploration, hunt, inquiry, inspection, investigation, pursuit, quest, research, check, comb, examine, explore, go through, inspect, investigate, look, probe, ransack, scan

How to use search in a sentence

  • You’re in search of sweets for your sweethearts more than ever and you’re ready to try something new.

  • Best weighted blanket brands to knowThere are a few specifically great brands we think you should be familiar with when you start your weighted blanket search.

  • It plans on rolling it out globally at some point, which is expected to have a 7% impact in the search queries.

  • One of the great advantages of having search data mapped on a graph is that you can easily spot the highs and lows of how many times keywords were searched for.

  • In 2019, The Fact Checker noticed the spread of misleading video posed a challenge not only to fact-checkers but also to anyone relying on social media or Web searches to get information or find the latest news.

  • In my search for answers about who I was, I pored over religious texts in search of enlightenment.

  • After a hit, they would adjust the search to the most likely route from there.

  • The ATSB has been impressive in the way it has taken over the direction of the search for Flight 370.

  • Search teams find dozens of people and jet debris floating in the Java Sea, as the airline confirms the wreckage is from QZ8501.

  • We separate the search for justice from the search for truth at our peril.

  • Felipe was so full of impatience to continue his search, that he hardly listened to the Father’s words.

  • He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.

  • But such refuge, he knew, could avail him nothing if the bear should scent him out and search for him.

  • His search has always hitherto been fruitless, and he has sunk back, disheartened, into the sea.

  • Joe,” said Mr. Wardle, after an unsuccessful search in all his pockets, “is my snuff-box on the sofa?

British Dictionary definitions for search


verb

to look through (a place, records, etc) thoroughly in order to find someone or something

(tr) to examine (a person) for concealed objects by running one’s hands over the clothing

to look at or examine (something) closelyto search one’s conscience

(tr foll by out) to discover by investigation

surgery

  1. to explore (a bodily cavity) during a surgical procedure
  2. to probe (a wound)

(tr) military to fire all over (an area)

computing to review (a file) to locate specific information

archaic to penetrate

search me informal I don’t know

noun

the act or an instance of searching

the examination of a vessel by the right of search

computing

  1. a review of a file to locate specific information
  2. (as modifier)a search routine

right of search international law the right possessed by the warships of a belligerent state in time of war to board and search merchant vessels to ascertain whether ship or cargo is liable to seizure

Derived forms of search

searchable, adjectivesearcher, noun

Word Origin for search

C14: from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre to go around, from Latin circus circle

Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with search


In addition to the idiom beginning with search

  • search me

also see:

  • high and low, search
  • in search of

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

    • See Also:
      • Seanad Éireann
      • seance
      • séance
      • seaperch
      • seapiece
      • seaplane
      • seaport
      • SEAQ
      • seaquake
      • sear
      • search
      • search engine
      • search engine optimization
      • search party
      • search warrant
      • searching
      • searchless
      • searchlight
      • Searcy
      • searing
      • Searle
    • Recent searches:
    • View All

  • Go to Preferences page and choose from different actions for taps or mouse clicks.

WordReference Random House Learner’s Dictionary of American English © 2023

search /sɜrtʃ/USA pronunciation  v.

  1. to look through (a place, etc.) to find something lost: [+ object + for + object]I searched the house for my keys.[+ for + object]I searched for my keys.
  2. to examine (a person, etc.) to find something hidden: [+ object + for + object]The police searched his car for the drugs.[+ for + object]They were searching for drugs.
  3. to explore or examine in order to discover: [+ object + for + object]They searched the hills for gold.[+ for + object]Scientists are searching for a cure for AIDS.[+ out + object]to search out all the facts.
  4. to examine (a record, writing, etc.) for information:[+ object]to search a property title.
  5. to look into, question, or think carefully about:[+ object]Search your conscience.
  6. to command software to find certain words, letters, or characters in (an electronic file): [+ object + for + object]to search a database for all instances of «U.S.» and replace them with «United States.»[+ for + object]to search for all instances of «U.S.»

n. [countable]

  1. an act or instance of searching:The computer search takes only seconds.

Idioms

  1. in search of, looking for;
    trying to find:early explorers in search of gold.

search•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2023

search 
(sûrch),USA pronunciation v.t. 

  1. to go or look through (a place, area, etc.) carefully in order to find something missing or lost:They searched the woods for the missing child. I searched the desk for the letter.
  2. to look at or examine (a person, object, etc.) carefully in order to find something concealed:He searched the vase for signs of a crack. The police searched the suspect for weapons.
  3. to explore or examine in order to discover:They searched the hills for gold.
  4. to look at, read, or examine (a record, writing, collection, repository, etc.) for information:to search a property title; He searched the courthouse for a record of the deed to the land.
  5. to look at or beneath the superficial aspects of to discover a motive, reaction, feeling, basic truth, etc.:He searched her face for a clue to her true feelings.
  6. to look into, question, or scrutinize:She searched her conscience.
  7. (of natural elements) to pierce or penetrate:The sunlight searched the room’s dark corners.
  8. to uncover or find by examination or exploration (often fol. by out):to search out all the facts.
  9. Militaryto fire artillery over (an area) with successive changes in gun elevation.
  10. Computingto examine (one or more files, as databases or texts) electronically, to locate specified items.

v.i.

  1. to inquire, investigate, examine, or seek;
    conduct an examination or investigation.
  2. search me, I don’t know:Why has it taken so long to reach a decision? Search me.

n.

  1. an act or instance of searching;
    careful examination or investigation.
  2. Militarythe practice, on the part of naval officers of a belligerent nation, of boarding and examining a suspected neutral vessel at sea in order to ascertain its true nationality and determine if it is carrying contraband:the right of visit and search.
  • Anglo-French serche, Old French cerche, derivative of cerchier
  • Late Latin circāre to go around, derivative of Latin circus circle; (noun, nominal) Middle English serche
  • Old French cerchier
  • Anglo-French sercher)
  • (verb, verbal) Middle English serchen, cerchen (1300–50

searcha•ble, adj. 
searcha•ble•ness, n. 
searcher, n. 

    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged investigate.
    • 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged inspect.
    • 13.See corresponding entry in Unabridged inspection, scrutiny.


Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

search /sɜːtʃ/ vb

  1. to look through (a place, records, etc) thoroughly in order to find someone or something
  2. (transitive) to examine (a person) for concealed objects by running one’s hands over the clothing
  3. to look at or examine (something) closely: to search one’s conscience
  4. (transitive) followed by out: to discover by investigation
  5. to probe (a wound)
  6. to review (a file) to locate specific information
  7. archaic to penetrate
  8. search meinformal I don’t know

n

  1. the act or an instance of searching
  2. the examination of a vessel by the right of search
  3. right of searchthe right possessed by the warships of a belligerent state in time of war to board and search merchant vessels to ascertain whether ship or cargo is liable to seizure

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre to go around, from Latin circus circle

ˈsearchable adj ˈsearcher n

search‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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Other forms: searching; searched; searches

To search is to look for something. A search party is a group of people looking for something together. Their search may take a long time. If they’re in the army, they might be on a mission to search and destroy.

Search is one of the many words in English that have taken on a new meaning related to computers. To search the Web, or perform a search is to use a computer to find information on the Internet. The verb search is from Late Latin circare «to travel through,» from Latin circus «circle.» The original meanings of this verb in English were to dig for something, then, to overrun or occupy by force.

Definitions of search

  1. verb

    try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of

    “The police are
    searching for clues”

    “They are
    searching for the missing man in the entire county”

    synonyms:

    look for, seek

    see moresee less

    types:

    show 23 types…
    hide 23 types…
    drag, dredge

    search (as the bottom of a body of water) for something valuable or lost

    finger

    search for on the computer

    fumble, grope

    feel about uncertainly or blindly

    divine

    search by divining, as if with a rod

    browse, surf

    look around casually and randomly, without seeking anything in particular

    leave no stone unturned

    search thoroughly and exhaustively

    hunt

    seek, search for

    gather

    look for (food) in nature

    want

    hunt or look for; want for a particular reason

    scour

    examine minutely

    seek out

    look for a specific person or thing

    go after, pursue, quest after, quest for

    go in search of or hunt for

    angle, fish

    seek indirectly

    grub

    search about busily

    feel

    grope or feel in search of something

    browse, shop

    shop around; not necessarily buying

    grope for, scrabble

    feel searchingly

    dowse

    use a divining rod in search of underground water or metal

    shell

    look for and collect shells by the seashore

    comparison-shop

    compare prices for a given item

    antique

    shop for antiques

    window-shop

    examine the shop windows; shop with the eyes only

    browse

    scan, look through, or look for information on the internet

  2. “The police
    searched the suspect”

    “We
    searched the whole house for the missing keys”

    see moresee less

    types:

    show 9 types…
    hide 9 types…
    raid

    search for something needed or desired

    frisk

    search as for concealed weapons by running the hands rapidly over the clothing and through the pockets

    strip-search

    search (someone) for weapons or drugs by having the person remove their clothes

    scan

    make a wide, sweeping search of

    go, rifle

    go through in search of something; search through someone’s belongings in an unauthorized way

    rummage

    search haphazardly

    comb, ransack

    search thoroughly

    delve

    search for something in a receptacle or container

    trawl

    search or sift through in order to find something

    type of:

    examine, see

    observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect

  3. “He
    searched for information on his relatives on the web”

    synonyms:

    delve, explore, research

  4. noun

    the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone

  5. noun

    boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas

  6. noun

    an investigation seeking answers

    “a thorough
    search of the ledgers revealed nothing”

    “the outcome justified the
    search

  7. noun

    the examination of alternative hypotheses

    “his
    search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful”

  8. noun

    an operation that determines whether one or more of a set of items has a specified property

    synonyms:

    lookup

    see moresee less

    type of:

    operation

    (computer science) data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction)

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘search’.
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Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

search

(sûrch)

v. searched, search·ing, search·es

v. tr.

1. To move around in, go through, or look through in an effort to find something: searched the room for her missing earring; searched the desk for a pen.

2. To make a careful examination or investigation of; probe: search one’s conscience for the right thing to do.

3. To seek data matching a word, phrase, or pattern of characters in: searched the internet for information about ostriches.

4. Law To examine (a person or property) for the purpose of discovering evidence of a crime.

v. intr.

1. To search a place or space in order to find something: searched all afternoon for my wallet.

2. To make a careful examination or investigation: searching for the right words to say.

3. To use a search engine or other software to find any data matching a particular pattern.

4. Law To make a search for evidence.

n.

1. An act of searching.

2. Law The examination of a person or property, as by a law enforcement officer, for the purpose of discovering evidence of a crime.

3. A control mechanism on an audio or video player that rapidly advances or reverses the playing of a recording.

Phrasal Verb:

search out

To seek to find or come to know by examination: sought out the answer in a history book.

Idiom:

search me Slang

Used by a speaker to indicate that he or she does not have an answer to a question just asked.


[Middle English

serchen

, from Anglo-Norman

sercher

, variant of Old French

cerchier

, from Latin

circāre

, to go around, from Latin

circus

, circle, from Greek

krikos, kirkos

; see

sker-

2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]


search′a·ble adj.

search′er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

search

(sɜːtʃ)

vb

1. to look through (a place, records, etc) thoroughly in order to find someone or something

2. (tr) to examine (a person) for concealed objects by running one’s hands over the clothing

3. to look at or examine (something) closely: to search one’s conscience.

4. (foll by: out) to discover by investigation

5. (Surgery) surgery

a. to explore (a bodily cavity) during a surgical procedure

b. to probe (a wound)

6. (Military) (tr) military to fire all over (an area)

7. (Computer Science) computing to review (a file) to locate specific information

8. archaic to penetrate

9. search me informal I don’t know

n

10. the act or an instance of searching

11. (Law) the examination of a vessel by the right of search

12. (Computer Science) computing

a. a review of a file to locate specific information

b. (as modifier): a search routine.

13. (Law) right of search international law the right possessed by the warships of a belligerent state in time of war to board and search merchant vessels to ascertain whether ship or cargo is liable to seizure

[C14: from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre to go around, from Latin circus circle]

ˈsearchable adj

ˈsearcher n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

search

(sɜrtʃ)

v.t.

1. to look through (a place, area, etc.) carefully in order to find something missing or lost.

2. to examine (a person, object, etc.) carefully in order to find something concealed.

3. to explore or examine in order to discover: They searched the hills for gold.

4. to examine (a record, writing, collection, repository, etc.) for information: to search a property title.

5. to look into, question, or scrutinize: to search one’s conscience.

6. to pierce or penetrate.

7. to uncover or find by examination or exploration (often fol. by out): to search out all the facts.

8. to command software to find specified characters or codes in (an electronic file): to search a database for all instances of “U.S.” and replace them with “United States.”

v.i.

9. to inquire, investigate, examine, or seek.

10. to find specified characters or codes in an electronic file by means of software commands.

n.

11. an act or instance of searching; careful examination or investigation.

12. the wartime practice of boarding and searching any neutral vessel suspected of transporting contraband.

[1300–50; (v.) Middle English serchen, cerchen (< Anglo-French sercher) < Old French cerchier < Late Latin circāre to go around, derivative of Latin circus circle; (n.) Middle English serche < Anglo-French serche, Old French cerche, derivative of cerchier]

search′a•ble, adj.

search′a•ble•ness, n.

search′er, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

search

1. An operation to locate an enemy force known or believed to be at sea.
2. A systematic reconnaissance of a defined area, so that all parts of the area have passed within visibility.
3. To distribute gunfire over an area in depth by successive changes in gun elevation.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

search

Search can be a verb or a noun.

1. used as a verb

If you search a place or person, you examine them thoroughly because you are trying to find something.

Police searched the building and found weapons.

He stood with his arms outstretched while the guard searched him.

Be Careful!
Don’t say that you ‘search’ the thing you are trying to find. You can say that you search for it, but you usually say that you look for it.

He’s looking for his keys.

2. used as a noun

A search is an attempt to find something or someone by looking for them carefully.

I found the keys after a long search.

The search for survivors of the earthquake continues.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

search

Past participle: searched
Gerund: searching

Imperative
search
search
Present
I search
you search
he/she/it searches
we search
you search
they search
Preterite
I searched
you searched
he/she/it searched
we searched
you searched
they searched
Present Continuous
I am searching
you are searching
he/she/it is searching
we are searching
you are searching
they are searching
Present Perfect
I have searched
you have searched
he/she/it has searched
we have searched
you have searched
they have searched
Past Continuous
I was searching
you were searching
he/she/it was searching
we were searching
you were searching
they were searching
Past Perfect
I had searched
you had searched
he/she/it had searched
we had searched
you had searched
they had searched
Future
I will search
you will search
he/she/it will search
we will search
you will search
they will search
Future Perfect
I will have searched
you will have searched
he/she/it will have searched
we will have searched
you will have searched
they will have searched
Future Continuous
I will be searching
you will be searching
he/she/it will be searching
we will be searching
you will be searching
they will be searching
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been searching
you have been searching
he/she/it has been searching
we have been searching
you have been searching
they have been searching
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been searching
you will have been searching
he/she/it will have been searching
we will have been searching
you will have been searching
they will have been searching
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been searching
you had been searching
he/she/it had been searching
we had been searching
you had been searching
they had been searching
Conditional
I would search
you would search
he/she/it would search
we would search
you would search
they would search
Past Conditional
I would have searched
you would have searched
he/she/it would have searched
we would have searched
you would have searched
they would have searched

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun 1. search - the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someonesearch — the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone

hunting, hunt

activity — any specific behavior; «they avoided all recreational activity»

exploration — a careful systematic search

foraging, forage — the act of searching for food and provisions

frisk, frisking — the act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs; «he gave the suspect a quick frisk»

looking for, looking — the act of searching visually

manhunt — an organized search (by police) for a person (charged with a crime)

seeking, quest — the act of searching for something; «a quest for diamonds»

ransacking, rummage — a thorough search for something (often causing disorder or confusion); «he gave the attic a good rummage but couldn’t find his skis»

scouring — moving over territory to search for something; «scouring the entire area revealed nothing»

shakedown — a very thorough search of a person or a place; «a shakedown by the police uncovered the drugs»

2. search — an investigation seeking answers; «a thorough search of the ledgers revealed nothing»; «the outcome justified the search»

investigating, investigation — the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically

3. search — an operation that determines whether one or more of a set of items has a specified property; «they wrote a program to do a table lookup»

lookup

operation — (computer science) data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction); «it can perform millions of operations per second»

4. search — the examination of alternative hypotheses; «his search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful»

hunt — an instance of searching for something; «the hunt for submarines»

pursuance, quest, pursuit — a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria; «the pursuit of love»; «life is more than the pursuance of fame»; «a quest for wealth»

higher cognitive process — cognitive processes that presuppose the availability of knowledge and put it to use

5. search — boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas; «right of search»

examination, scrutiny — the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)

Verb 1. search — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of; «The police are searching for clues»; «They are searching for the missing man in the entire county»

look for, seek

dredge, drag — search (as the bottom of a body of water) for something valuable or lost

finger — search for on the computer; «I fingered my boss and found that he is not logged on in the afternoons»

fumble, grope — feel about uncertainly or blindly; «She groped for her glasses in the darkness of the bedroom»

divine — search by divining, as if with a rod; «He claimed he could divine underground water»

surf, browse — look around casually and randomly, without seeking anything in particular; «browse a computer directory»; «surf the internet or the world wide web»

leave no stone unturned — search thoroughly and exhaustively; «The police left no stone unturned in looking for the President’s murderer»

hunt — seek, search for; «She hunted for her reading glasses but was unable to locate them»

gather — look for (food) in nature; «Our ancestors gathered nuts in the Fall»

want — hunt or look for; want for a particular reason; «Your former neighbor is wanted by the FBI»; «Uncle Sam wants you»

scour — examine minutely; «The police scoured the country for the fugitive»

seek out — look for a specific person or thing

quest after, quest for, go after, pursue — go in search of or hunt for; «pursue a hobby»

fish, angle — seek indirectly; «fish for compliments»

grub — search about busily

feel — grope or feel in search of something; «He felt for his wallet»

browse, shop — shop around; not necessarily buying; «I don’t need help, I’m just browsing»

2. search — search or seek; «We looked all day and finally found the child in the forest»; «Look elsewhere for the perfect gift!»

look

hunt — search (an area) for prey; «The King used to hunt these forests»

examine, see — observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect; «The customs agent examined the baggage»; «I must see your passport before you can enter the country»

cruise — look for a sexual partner in a public place; «The men were cruising the park»

prospect — search for something desirable; «prospect a job»

horn in, nose, poke, pry, intrude — search or inquire in a meddlesome way; «This guy is always nosing around the office»

3. search — inquire into; «the students had to research the history of the Second World War for their history project»; «He searched for information on his relatives on the web»; «Scientists are exploring the nature of consciousness»

explore, research

prospect — explore for useful or valuable things or substances, such as minerals

google — search the internet (for information) using the Google search engine; «He googled the woman he had met at the party»; «My children are googling all day»

mapquest — search for a location and directions by means of the MapQuest program; «you can just mapquest the restaurant»

re-explore — explore anew; «We need to re-explore Colonialism»

beat about, cast about, cast around — search anxiously

investigate, look into — investigate scientifically; «Let’s investigate the syntax of Chinese»

4. search — subject to a search; «The police searched the suspect»; «We searched the whole house for the missing keys»

raid — search for something needed or desired; «Our babysitter raided our refrigerator»

frisk — search as for concealed weapons by running the hands rapidly over the clothing and through the pockets; «The police frisked everyone at the airport»

strip-search — search (someone) for weapons or drugs by having the person remove their clothes; «He was strip-searched at the airport»

scan — make a wide, sweeping search of; «The beams scanned the night sky»

rifle, go — go through in search of something; search through someone’s belongings in an unauthorized way; «Who rifled through my desk drawers?»

rummage — search haphazardly; «We rummaged through the drawers»

comb, ransack — search thoroughly; «They combed the area for the missing child»

examine, see — observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect; «The customs agent examined the baggage»; «I must see your passport before you can enter the country»

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

search

verb

1. examine, check, investigate, explore, probe, inspect, comb, inquire, sift, scour, ferret, pry, ransack, forage, scrutinize, turn upside down, rummage through, frisk (informal), cast around, rifle through, leave no stone unturned, turn inside out, fossick (Austral. & N.Z.), go over with a fine-tooth comb Armed troops searched the hospital yesterday.

2. inspect, check, examine, frisk, give someone the once over (informal) His first task was to search them for weapons.

noun

1. hunt, look, inquiry, investigation, examination, pursuit, quest, going-over (informal), inspection, exploration, scrutiny, rummage There was no chance of him being found alive and the search was abandoned.

search me! I don’t know, beats me, I’ve no idea, I haven’t got a clue, how should I know?, I haven’t got the faintest or foggiest idea He shrugged and chuckled: ‘Search me!’

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

search

verb

1. To try to find something:

2. To examine the person or personal effects of in order to find something lost or concealed:

noun

1. A thorough search of a place or persons:

2. An attempting to accomplish or attain:

The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

търся

hledatpátránípátrat

eftersøgningkropsvisitereledesøgeundersøge

serĉi

otsima

etsiäetsintähakeahaku

potragatragati

keresmegmotoz

leitleitaleita á

捜索捜索する探す

검색검색하다

ieškodamasieškotiiškratytikratos orderispaieškos grupė

izkratītmeklēšanameklētpārmeklēt

căutacăutarecercetare

pátraťvýskum

iskatiiskanje

sökasökningleta

การค้นหาค้นหา

lục soátsự tìm kiếmtìm

Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

search

[ˈsɜːrtʃ]

n

[drawer, pockets, room] → fouille f

vt

[+ room, drawer, house] → fouiller
to search sth for sb
They searched the woods for her → Ils ont fouillé les bois pour la trouver.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

search

n (= hunt: for lost object, missing person etc) → Suche f(for nach); (= examination: of cupboard, luggage, suspect etc) → Durchsuchung f (→ of +gen); (esp Jur: of documents) → Nachforschungen pl (→ of über +acc); (Comput) → Suchlauf m, → Suchvorgang m; right of searchDurchsuchungsrecht nt; to go in search of somebody/somethingauf die Suche nach jdm/etw gehen; to carry out a search of a houseeine Haus(durch)suchung machen; I found an interesting book in my searchbei meiner Suche or beim Suchen habe ich ein interessantes Buch gefunden; to do a search for somethingnach etw suchen; they arranged a search for the missing childsie veranlassten eine Suchaktion nach dem vermissten Kind; to do a search (and replace) for something (Comput) → etw suchen (und ersetzen)

vi (also Comput) → suchen (for nach)


search

:

search-and-destroy

adj (Mil) → Vernichtungs-; search missionVernichtungsmission f


search

:

search item

n (Comput) → Suchbegriff m

search mode

n (Comput) → Suchmodus m

search program

n (Comput) → Suchprogramm nt

search time

n (Comput) → Suchdauer f

search word

n (Comput) → Suchwort nt, → Suchbegriff m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

search

(səːtʃ) verb

1. (often with for) to look for something by careful examination. Have you searched through your pockets thoroughly?; I’ve been searching for that book for weeks.

2. (of the police etc) to examine, looking for eg stolen goods. He was taken to the police station, searched and questioned.

noun

an act of searching. His search did not take long.

ˈsearcher nounˈsearching adjective

trying to find out the truth by careful examination. He gave me a searching look.

ˈsearchingly adverbˈsearchlight noun

a strong light with a beam that can be turned in any direction, used eg to see enemy aeroplanes in the sky.

search party

a group of people looking for a missing person. When the climbers failed to return, a search party was sent out.

search warrant

a warrant giving legal permission to the police to search a house etc.

in search of

searching for. We went in search of a restaurant.

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

search

بَحْث, يُفَتِّشُ pátrání, pátrat eftersøgning, søge Suche, suchen αναζήτηση, ψάχνω buscar, búsqueda etsiä, etsintä fouille, fouiller potraga, tragati cercare, ricerca 捜索, 捜索する 검색, 검색하다 zoeken, zoektocht ransake, ransaking poszukać, poszukiwanie busca, procurar искать, поиск söka, sökning การค้นหา, ค้นหา arama, aramak lục soát, sự tìm kiếm 搜索

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

search

n. búsqueda, investigación; registro;

v. buscar, registrar; investigar.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

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